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SLIDELL AND THE COAST
First Black Chief
By LARRY CIKO
?I wonder how the people will accept him?? asked Bay St. Louis Mayor Warren J. Carver.
The rhetorical question related to the city?s newly-appointed police chief, Douglas Williams, who last week became the first black man to ever serve the city in that capacity.
Although Williams was named as head of the department for a 60-day trial period, Carver felt the appointment was the right one.
Williams had served for several years as assistant chief under Billy Carbonette, who resigned last month.
Following Williams? appointment, Carver related a story about himself and th? new chief. It is a story which tells a great deal about both men.
?I was driving home one night a couple of years ago,? began Carver. ?It was late and there was no traffic as I approached the intersection of Ulman and Dunbar.
?I did what is called a ?rolling stop? and Officer Williams stopped my car. He said he would have to give me a ticket for running the stop sign.
?I told him to go ahead because I was in the wrong and he had a job to do,? recalled Carver.
*	* *
The mayor took his traffic citation to city court, located in the same building where he works daily. It just so happened that a school class was on a field trip to learn about city government and the children were in the courtroom when the mayor?s case
came up.
Carver entered a guilty plea before the judge and was fined $10.
?The kids got a big kick out of it,? the mayor said.
?Williams did the right thing in giving me the ticket and I think I did the right thing in paying for it. I believe in fairness, and fairness should apply to everyone ? even mayors.?
The ticket incident apparently stuck in Carver?s mind and probably had more than a little influence in Williams? being appointed acting chief.
?If Williams was not afraid to give the mayor a ticket, I know he?ll enforce the laws to the best of his abil-ity and won?t give any special favors,? Carver stated.
Although the city council will continue to take applications for the position of permanent police chief, Williams appears to have the best chance at the job.
Carver said Williams? performance as acting chief will be considered when the council makes a final decision on the matter. The mayor said the appointment was temporary because he wanted to see ?how things work out.?
There?s no doubt in the mayor?s mind that Williams is a hard worker. The 54-year-old Bay St. Louis native was a pulpwood contractor for 23 years.
When he first joined the Bay PD in 1965, Williams was on duty seven
nights a Week and worked his timber business during the day. The last seven years he has been with the force full time.
*	* *
It?s no secret that Carver and former Chief Carbonette didn?t always see eye-to-eye. Carver claimed that Carbonette disregarded many memos sent to him by the mayor.
?I?m perfectly satisfied that things have worked out as they have,? Carver said following Williams? appointment.
Carbonette said in his resignation statement that he could no longer support his family on a $660 monthly salary. He has taken a job as an auto salesman in Hattiesburg.
Williams had the support of all of the regular and auxiliary members of the department. They presented a petition to the council stating that Williams has been an outstanding police officer and that his leadership is unquestioned.
Bay St. Louis is the third community in the area which has seen a change in the leadership of its police department within the past few months.
The Picayune city council replaced its appointed police chief after a disagreement over certain procedures within the department.
And the citizens of Slidell recently voted in a new chief after removing its previous chief from office in a recall election.